nice yards

nice yards

 

 

neighbors wave,

neighbors cackle,

and dance by the hedges

to the tune of the sun's lyrics

and picket fences

are never the snow white barriers

of the early days,

or are they?

 

when did the hounds start barking again

with such resonance

chasing the scent of yesterday,

why are we backtracking?

 

the house next door is suddenly empty of voices

the mountain came and went

and now the hedges are removed

because everybody on the block

is the same again,

 

no one learned,

the books are closed,

the lawns are all neatly trimmed with righteousness 

and TV's have regressed to very narrow screens

 

and the black and white pictures

of who we will always be

if we don't pack up and move away

 

from this little town

of errant appraisal.

 

 

erin-cilberto

1/18/16

Reviews

[Ana B.]

hmmm....isn't it what we always do - pack up and move away? this one hit close in so many aspects.
Thank you for the write dear Jacob.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you Ana for relating to my write...always on the move...

j.

[Érenn]

First and foremost what I noticed is that this is one of your longer writes I have read. ^^ And I find what is so good about this, is the change in tones from one stanza to the next, could just be my imagination, but I do feel, this is a lot more emotive in terms of when I read them. That said, I like how you feel that with times things haven't always changed for the better, maybe it has also become lonesome and boring ^^ I like it

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insights and kind words, Errenn...

j.

[David Scott]

The rewind in the poetry reminds me of where our dear President has led this great nation... The result of leadership is evident by where those who follow end up... Time to pick up the history books and trudge back up the hill we lost...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i hear ya, David...both parties don't seem to care about the people any more, only their own agendas. I like your interpretation of this piece...thank you.

j.

[andrew mitchell]

We have become more unneighbourly over time, more untrusting, more suspicious, so much for love thy neighbour! We sleep in denial of the changes, we don't want to offend anyone!! lol

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, andrew, appreciate your words,

j.

[annalysiar]

Wow this is great, I love the message here

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words,
j.

[Alfred Kukitz]

In a pattern of the sleepy life when the door of change is waiting at Home Depot.

Regards,
Al

[jacob erin-cilberto]

haha...yes, thank you, Al.
j.

[Corset]

"no one learned, the books are closed, the lawns are all neatly trimmed with righteousness
and TV's have regressed to very narrow screens" This makes me think of every time I visit my foster parents in Kentucky, they are still in 1950's, still do the same things, still have that little narrow tv, and its by choice that they never bought an answer machine because the one time it was given as a gift and my sister got a prank call and freaked out they threw that advanced technology out the proverbial window, is society regressing or progressing , something ive been thinking about lately myself, why did times seem so simple to them then, so wholesome, if a girl got pregnant unwed..omg..they shipped her off to parts unknown to a distant aunt or convent so the shame would not color their cheeks...are we better off now that woman do not lay bleeding on the floor with coat hangers? I dunno my friend...with abortionists on every corner mistakes are so easily remedied that we don't really learn the lesson they were supposed to teach us, why do bad things that happen now seem almost common place while back then "the son of sam" was something every one was completely shocked over, huddled by their locks and dobermans is something we witness in the news every day and hardly bat an eye over, we are desensitized or are we more calloused now> I worry for the next generation, and a worry about the next generation..what world are they inheriting? or what will they do with it being so numb to everything that should be shocking?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your in-depth insights, Corset...yes, i worry too...

j.

[W.k.kortas]

I'm sure you remember "Pleasant Valley Sunday" from Messrs. Jones, Dolenz, Tork, and Nesmith; this puts me a bit in mind of that. There is a certain workaday reality (though skewed a bit, a touch of the Serling) that isn't always evident in your work, but viva la difference says me. In my view, this might be the finest thing of yours I've read to date.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, "the local rock band down the street is trying hard to learn that song...see mrs. gray she's proud today because her roses are in bloom, and mr. green is so serene he has tv in every room"

thank you for your very kind review...you are always so encouraging...

j.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

here is something interesting and sort of twilight zone...when i read your comment on this poem guess what CD was in my car stereo?

the monkees greatest hits...

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I prefer the small towns to the city. I need woods and rivers to wander. And I prefer the easy memory of yesterday to the harsh reality of the evening news. Perhaps the black and white pictures weren't so polished or fancy...but the movies had more style back then...and folks, it seems to me, had more a sense of personal identity relating to one another across the backyard fences and clotheslines. We not only knew our neighbors...we spoke to them, went to church with them, borrowed sugar from them and had their kids over to play.Or perhaps it's just that I'm feeling nostalgic today. I always enjoy your writing.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for sharing that , Fabian....appreciate your words,

j.

[ANTO]

'I have been to the mountaintop"
Perhaps we who are left don't deserve to see it so it's leaving us behind.

A sigh inducing piece Jacob.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, ANTO--

j.